I remember the kind of nervous excitement that would course through my body before a game back when I used to play football. It’s that same feeling that I can’t wait to feel again, this time as a reporter.

Football is a favorite of mine, a passion that probably shouldn’t be as fiery as it is. Nonetheless, this sport has shaped my life, and I can’t wait for this year’s high school season to start.

There is something unique about high school football. The palpable commotion in the stands, the clamor on the sideline during a big play. It just makes your blood boil, in a good way.

That run out onto the field as a player is a truly special moment. You have the band playing, the cheerleaders getting the crowd pumped up, the student section screaming at the top of its lungs. It’s beautiful chaos.

To be a part of that chaos again will truly be incredible for me, and although it’ll be strange to be on the sideline and not in pads, it’s an experience I am very much looking forward to.

The sport of football is very close to being the pinnacle of team sports. Meaning, that a team can’t have a single player that’s good enough to win a game. All of the athletes have to play together in order to be successful. They win together, and they lose together. Those highs and lows are what brings players closer together, and the camaraderie inside a locker-room is beyond comparison. Although I’m sure those in the military would have something to say about that.

Either way, the bond that’s forged in the blood, sweat and tears of a football season is one of the strongest in the world, and it will truly be an honor to cover those events that creates those connections.